A Little Healthier Apple Cobbler - Just in Time for the Holidays!

Everyone's favorite time is here! How could it not be your favorite with all the beautiful decorations, the delicious smells and desserts, and the much needed reminders to be thankful and remember the best gift ever given to us and a chance to give to others who we love. I am talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas because those are the holidays that I celebrate and love. Even if you do not celebrate those ones, I know there are many other delicious holidays coming around this time of year and no matter which holiday you celebrate, it is a time for happiness, love, and really good food!

Unfortunately, all the wonderful food associated with these holidays can really add to your waistline and take away from your pocketbook. The good news is - it doesn't need to be that way! There are tons of ways to make your holiday meals a little healthier, and I definitely recommend looking up ways to do it! 

Here, I have remade one of my favorite holiday desserts - Apple Cobbler. I LOVE the smell and taste of apples and cinnamon! Especially when it is a little colder outside, which it has been recently. Anyway, I did some experimenting before I got the recipe just right, but by the end of it my husband and I were fighting over the last bite! Also, since I have become a mom, I have been getting better at preparing recipes much more quickly so I can get back to my little love bug. I made this recipe with things that I already had in my kitchen (can't get more cost and time effective than that!), and it was a generous serving for 2. 

My Healthier Holidays Apple Cobbler

Apple Mixture:

3 Organic Gala Apples                      1/2 tbsp Cinnamon

1 tbsp Organic Honey                       1/4 tbsp Nutmeg

1 Fresh Squeezed Lemon wedge

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Crust Mixture:

1/4 cup Flaxseed Flour (or ground Flaxseed) 2 tbsp All Natural Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Oats                                                    1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

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Quick Prep Instructions:

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Skin and dice the apples, then place in a microwave safe container with the rest of the Apple Mixture. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, cook additional 1 minute, stir. 

     While the Apple Mixture is cooking, mix together the ingredients for the Crust Mixture, cutting in the butter last. 

     When Apple Mixture has finished cooking in the microwave, evenly sprinkle the Crust Mixture on top of the Apple Mixture. Place in the oven and cook until top is crispy and golden brown (about 15 minutes). 

     Serve warm, and enjoy with family and friends! 

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Of course, if you are not pressed for time, you can cook the apples in the oven. This dessert was perfectly sweet to me, but if you want it to be EXTRA sweet, you can add more of the honey or add agave nectar to taste. 

I do want to say that, while this recipe is much healthIER than your store-bought apple pie or cobbler, it is still meant to be a special treat, not your everyday breakfast because I called it "healthy". The benefits here are that the recipe is made from whole, organic foods without preservatives, hormones, or harmful pesticides. The warm apples will warm you from the inside out, while the cinnamon will improve circulation to keep you warm through the night. The fiber in the oats will keep you regular and reduce bloating from the holiday dinner. 

I hope you enjoy this special treat, guilt free, and share it with your loved ones!

Work For It

You have heard the saying "Good things come to those who wait." Granted, good things do take time... but that does not mean you should just sit and wait. If you want GREAT things, you have to work for them. Work for what you want every day, and with time, you will see great things. So don't just sit and wait today, get up, work hard, and go for it!

The Importance of Rest, Relaxation, and Recovery

     I know that you all know you should have rest days in between your workouts, but do you know why? What's the big deal? I've always been the type of person that always wants to be moving, so telling me to sit down and rest feels like punishment. Especially after 3 months of feeling very limited at the end of pregnancy, I was so ready to be up and moving around after delivery. I figured I'd start out with some light cardio and light weights, keeping my heart rate low and taking it easy. I was so bummed when my doctor told me that I could do nothing of the sort for 6 more weeks. Sounds like such a long time! Some days I did push the limits, lifting heavy groceries or moving furniture, and I saw consequences (nothing to end me back up in the hospital). Anyway, it was just a reminder of the importance of rest and recovery, no matter how big or small. 

     So you didn't just go through major surgery, it was just a tough week of workouts and you're not even that sore. Recovery isn't that important right now, right? False. When you push your muscles to the limits, you are breaking them down and introducing lactic acid. The acid is what makes you feel sore. If you do not stretch and rest to let the muscles heal and release the lactic acid, you will find it much harder to build strength and lose weight the way you want to. If you are very sore, you do want to keep the muscles moving so they don't become tight, but don't push them. Light walking around the house will do for that. You will find that with at LEAST one rest day a week, your physical benefits will grow much faster and your results will be maximized. 

     What about this relaxation part? Sure, it sounds nice, but who has time for that these days? I'm telling you - make time! Taking a small amount of time for yourself each day, or at least a few hours once a week will make the difference in your whole life, not just your physical goals. When you continue to be running and stressed and busy, your mind and body stay in a worn-down state. If you take a little time to do something that just feels good - a hot bath, getting your toes done, watching your favorite show, going for a walk outside - it can significantly reduce your stress level, and here is why that is so important. When your body is stressed, it releases a hormone called Cortisol. Basically, your body thinks that it is in a dangerous situation, so it will keep you awake (making you even more sleepy), and cause you to retain fat for energy. If you are stuck on a plateau with your health and weight goals, check your stress levels and take 5 minutes (or an hour) for just you. 

     Rest and relaxation are vital to any recovery. If you want to get back on track and increase your results more quickly, remember to keep balance and recovery as part of your normal routine.

Motivation Monday

     It is very common to see progress pictures from clients, with people judging and the trainer defending. How often, though, do you see progress pictures of the professional? How often can you see that the trainer is also following his/her own advice? It is easy to defend others who have worked hard and made good decisions, but how hard is it to put your own self out there to be judged and torn apart by those "offended" by your picture because you don't look how they think you should? 

     Well, here is my picture. Six weeks after I had my beautiful, healthy, baby girl, I have now been cleared to begin working out again. Now, it did take courage for me to post this picture, simply because I don't want to hear people's judgements and criticisms, but I am proud of where I am right now. I am proud because during my pregnancy, I continued to make good decisions about my diet. I continued to workout, adjusting to what I could safely do in each stage. Even though it was difficult, I even challenged myself to drink 100-120 ounces of water every day (in between bathroom visits!) 

     I hope that as you see this picture and you read this article, you are not offended or think that I am just boasting about all my self-control. Of course I had cravings (that I indulged), of course some days I didn't get enough water, of course some days I just couldn't find the energy to work out. I just did my best to stick to the 80-20 rule: 80% of the time, make the healthy choice - 20% of the time, let life take you where it will. I hope that as you see this picture and read my story, you are encouraged that the hard things you are doing will be worth it! I hope you know that I have been through the struggles and I can understand you and meet you where you are. I just want you to know that your goal is possible, and I can say that because I've been there. 

    I hope you are motivated to make the good choices for your body today, drink your water, eat well, and get moving. If you feel like you just don't have it in you today, message me! I would love to help you find the motivation to get where you want to be!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

And You Can Let Go of the Guilt This Year!

     Ok, so we all know that candy is not one of the best things for you, but when you live every day making healthy choices for your body, it is perfectly all right to have a night to enjoy some indulgences - guilt free. I always preach the 80-20 rule: 80% of the time, make the good decision for yourself, but 20% of the time, indulge! None of us can be perfect, and what fun would that be anyway? It is HEALTHY to indulge every now and then, when it can be kept in perspective and under control. 

     On a similar note, I felt like today may be a good day to discuss the health benefits of chocolate, since we all may be consuming at least a piece or two today. 

     Chocolate, in it's raw, natural form, is full of antioxidants that protect the body from free radicals and helps the body repair itself. There are several studies that show that a small bit of dark chocolate each day can reduce the risk of death by heart attack by 50% (By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column). 

     Now don't get too excited, this does not mean that you can have your precious Reese's Pieces every day. It is important to keep the chocolate as unprocessed and simple as possible. Pure, dark chocolate has the highest concentration of these fantastic antioxidants. So, a piece or two of pure chocolate is perfectly acceptable to enjoy on a regular basis if you love it as much as I do! 

Just CHA-CHA!

This may be the PERFECT way to look at things on a Monday! Sometimes it's easier to keep making healthy choices during the week when we are on a schedule, but on weekends when we do special events or hang out with friends, it gets a little trickier! No one of us is perfect ALL the time, and that is perfectly ok! Obviously, we all want to move forward towards our goals, but don't lose perspective and give up when things don't go as planned. Just CHA-CHA!

Fun Fact Friday - Dress for Success!

So today isn't anything super deep, but I just want to remind you of a little fact that I'm sure you know, but maybe have forgotten.

Remember when you first decided to get in shape and start taking care of yourself? What was one of the first things you did? Well, if you are like me at all, you went shopping! You need new tennis shoes, new running shorts, new tank tops and sports bras, if you are going to take this seriously ;).

You feel like you can run faster, lift heavier, and take on the world in your new clean workout clothes. It's true! It is a fact that while your body does not magically get in better shape by putting on new clothes, it IS a fact that when you feel confident, you push yourself harder and you feel better all around. You are more excited to begin your workout, you feel like you have more energy during your workout, and you feel more satisfied after your workout.

You know it's true! So, maybe right now isn't the best time to go on a shopping spree, but I do want to encourage you to go out and buy one new clothing item, whether it's those Nike's you've been wanting forever, or a bright new tank top / shorts combo. Treat yourself for taking care of yourself! It happens to the best of us that now and then, our attitude gets as worn out as that pink sports bra that you've worn for 100 workouts. It's ok!

It's far better to treat yourself to a new outfit than a "cheat" meal. So often we think of "bad" food as a reward because many times, that's how we were brought up! How many times did you get ice cream for getting an A on your test? Well, you're making such great choices for yourself, and you want to KEEP those good choices and results, so I'm giving you permission today to go out and get a new workout item and take an "after" selfie! Celebrate, reward, and appreciate your body for working hard for you, and it will continue to work hard, not to mention brighten your attitude and give you a new reason to work out today ;)